What Leeds can expect from Joe Rothwell: Driving runs, attack-minded play and timely goals — The Athletic 16/7/24
By Nancy Froston
Leeds United were sorely lacking when it came to goals from
midfield last season.
Their central midfield trio of Ilia Gruev, Glen Kamara and
Ethan Ampadu (granted, the latter spent half the season playing in central
defence) found the net a combined three times in 131 appearances across all
competitions. In front of them, in a withdrawn attacking role behind striker
Patrick Bamford, Georginio Rutter added eight more in 51 games.
Often among the more frustrating moments of Leeds’ failed
attempt to win instant promotion back to the Premier League were when
speculative efforts from range, by Rutter in particular, went sailing high or
wide of the goal without troubling the goalkeeper.
But with the arrival of Joe Rothwell on a season’s loan from
Bournemouth of the top flight, Leeds might have found the answer to that
problem.
Rothwell, 29, is not a flashy signing but he is a good
addition in the sense he will bring experience and some valuable qualities to
the side. Crucially, he has a proven track record of goals from midfield,
perhaps the best among them this classy volley against Huddersfield Town in
February, which was later voted Southampton’s goal of the season, while he was
on loan to Leeds’ promotion rivals.
He is primarily seen as a No 8 who could be used further
forward if needed.
More depth in those areas is welcome but against the
backdrop of an advanced deal between Leeds and French club Rennes over the
permanent outgoing transfer of Kamara, the midfield picture could yet change
further this summer.
Kamara, 28, was an important player last season, appearing
alongside Gruev in the heart of midfield and impressing after signing from
Rangers in Scotland for a reported £5million ($6.5m). Leeds are set to get
nearly double what they paid for him, in a move that suits all parties given
the additional goals and assists manager Daniel Farke would like to see from
his midfielders in the coming season.
Rothwell should be seen as competition for that No 8 role,
rather than a nailed-on starter to replace Kamara, and he offers different
qualities to complement Gruev well.
The past year has seen Rothwell, formerly of Blackpool,
Barnsley (both loans), Oxford United and Blackburn Rovers, feature in a limited
role for both his parent club and then Southampton after signing on loan in
January. He made 11 appearances in the Premier League last season before adding
another 16 in the Championship for Southampton, with his four goals aiding
their promotion charge.
Among Rothwell’s best qualities is his ability to drive
forward from midfield. He is a good dribbler and appears to almost glide while
carrying the ball up the pitch, often effectively breaking the opposition
press.
Below is one example from his time at Southampton, in a 4-2
win against Sunderland in March, where Rothwell scored twice.
Here he carried the ball from inside his own half with his team on the break before feeding Adam Armstrong with a well-timed pass on the right.
Armstrong’s shot was blocked and the ball fell back to
Rothwell, who stroked it in.
A similar move set up his other goal that day, where
Armstrong drove into the box and crossed with Rothwell latching onto a failed
clearance to find the back of the net. His slightly withheld run here was key.
All four of Rothwell’s goals for Southampton were in games where he came off the bench.
fter arriving at St Mary’s, Rothwell’s playing time was
limited as manager Russell Martin preferred players he felt were safer in
possession, although he was used when Southampton were chasing a goal.
While his goals were often crucial, Rothwell’s loan spell
was not without its hiccups, with a difficult performance in their 2-1 defeat
by Hull City in February particularly poor.
A product of Manchester United’s academy, Rothwell is
undoubtedly a more attack-minded player than other options in Leeds’ midfield
unit, although he is capable of putting in the hard yards to cover distance in
games and makes important tackles to break up play.
With Gruev and Ampadu likely to compete for the No 6 role,
however, the hope is that Rothwell will be free enough to make contributions in
attack. There is a reason that Bournemouth were long-time admirers before
securing his signature and tying him down to a four-year contract when he left
Blackburn in the summer of 2022.
Signed by Bournemouth’s then manager Scott Parker, they had
tried to recruit Rothwell in the January and made several bids but were
rebuffed and forced to wait until the end of his contract.
However, after one goal in 35 appearances for his new club
and with Parker replaced first by Gary O’Neil and now Andoni Iraola, Rothwell
fell down the pecking order behind Ryan Christie and Lewis Cook, who are seen
as more effective off the ball, while youngsters Alex Scott, Justin Kluivert as
well as Philip Billing all offer depth in midfield, which left with little
chance of playing time.
Rothwell should get more of that at Leeds and is a player
with plenty of Championship experience — a quality Farke has said he felt was
lacking in his young team at times last season.
In line with other signings of the 49ers Enterprises
ownership era, this is not a headline-grabbing deal, but rather one that points
to the rounding out of a more balanced squad which has every chance of winning
promotion in the season ahead.